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Kevin Garnett explained how Shaquille O'Neal adapted to his body struggling to keep up with the high pace of playoff basketball during the Lakers' championship run. KG revealed that Shaq would actually put on weight on muscle, as it allowed him to take a beating during the games, and continue to dominate using his size.
“You didn’t play against Shaq. And what you think he was out of shape for, actually Phil gave him a formula to build up. Phil Jackson gave Shaq a formula because he was wearing down in the playoffs, and he wanted him to build up. And we call it build-up to get beat down."
"So that when you lift weights - this is why Michael Jordan started lifting weights - because the physical aspects of the game is so bearing that you’re getting you’re a-- kicked every night getting hit, you have to lift… Shaq took the formula to build up."
"Kobe was like ‘You need to be in better shape’. And he was like ‘Nah, I’m finna make these centers pay when they come down here, and I’m going to be bigger than everybody’. When you’re a commentator, and you’re sitting there, and he’s not running faster than Olin Candy, or he’s not running faster than the next center, that ain’t Shaq’s power."
"Shaq’s power is brute strength. Once he got to the Lakers, he was on some Superman, Iron Man, putting everybody in the basket and that was all predicated off of Phil telling him to build your stuff up so that you’re stronger coming down the playoffs.”
Garnett clearly has experience playing against Shaquille O'Neal during this time. Garnett led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals in 2004, where he and the Timberwolves had to take on the Lakers, with Shaq on the roster. Shaq was no longer the dominant presence he once was, but despite that, he and the Lakers overcame them to go to the NBA Finals.
Shaquille O'Neal Was A Beast During Lakers' Championship Runs
Few can argue just how good Shaquille O'Neal was during his time with the Lakers, specifically during their championship years between 2000 and 2002. O'Neal was the leader of the Lakers on the court, using his dominant stature to lead the Lakers to several wins en route to three NBA championships.
In the 2000 NBA playoffs, Shaq averaged 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game as he led the Lakers all the way to the NBA championship, overcoming the Indiana Pacers to win the NBA championship. O'Neal was named the Finals MVP for the first time in his career, something that would become a familiar sight for fans.
The following year, in 2001, Shaq's numbers stayed similarly dominant in the NBA Finals, as he averaged 33.0 points, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.4 blocks, and 0.4 steals per game, as the Lakers won their second consecutive NBA championship. Once again, Shaq's incredible numbers allowed him to win his second consecutive Finals MVP.
Shaq's third NBA Finals performance for the Lakers was arguably his most dominant showing on the stage. He averaged 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 0.5 assists to help the Lakers complete a sweep over the New Jersey Nets, thus winning his third Finals MVP.
Overall, in his three NBA Finals series with the Lakers, Shaq averaged 33.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.4 blocks, and 0.6 steals.
O'Neal was the last NBA center to win the NBA Finals MVP, as no player has been able to take the position to the heights that Shaq did in his time with the Lakers. In fact, he and Michael Jordan are the only two players in NBA history to win three consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards.
While some may have criticized Shaq for his size, and his inability to move up and down the court like he should, there is no denying that Phil Jackson's formula worked, and led to great success for the Lakers during those years.
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Top three notable names to leave the NBA for Europe this summer
There are only 450 spots in the NBA, 540 if you count two-way contracts. Each year, there's a group of players who hit the free-agency market and quietly fade into the obscurity of professional basketball outside of the NBA's bubble. Most of those players head overseas, either to Europe, Australia or China. In recent years, the jump from the NBA to Europe has grown in popularity. The talent level across the top European leagues has dramatically increased, with some teams now closing in on NBA levels of skill and athleticism. And with that talent increase, the pay has started to rise, too. It makes sense, then, that some notable names for NBA fans have made the jump across the Atlantic this summer. Here are the top three players to head to Europe since the start of the offseason. Lonnie Walker IV This time last summer, there was significant chatter about whether Lonnie Walker IV would earn the 15th and final spot on the Boston Celtics roster. The same roster that had won the NBA championship just months earlier. After seeing his Exhibit 10 deal with Boston expire, Walker ended up heading to Lithuania to play for Zalgiris Kaunas before the Philadelphia 76ers brought him back for the second half of the season. Now, after failing to secure a new contract with the Sixers, Walker is heading to Israel, where he's signed a three-year, $10 million deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Walker will now be one of the highest earners within all of European basketball. Oshae Brissett Walker will join Oshae Brissett over in Tel Aviv, as the former NBA champion has also signed with the franchise this summer. Brissett is just 18 months removed from playing a role on the Celtics roster that won the 2024 championship. Brissett doesn't have the athleticism and scoring skill that Walker brings to the table. As such, he won't be bringing home the same level of pay packet. However, he will undoubtedly be one of the better players, both in the Israeli league and in Europe. Brissett leaves the NBA having played in 233 games, averaging 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds on 41.9 percent shooting from two-point range and 33.7 percent from deep. Shake Milton Nobody can deny that Shake Milton has outperformed expectations after entering the NBA as the 54th pick in the 2018 draft. He leaves the NBA having suited up for 359 regular-season games and 40 postseason outings. Milton has spent time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. Impressively, he's consistently earned playing time, regardless of what roster he's been on. Nevertheless, it would appear that Milton has sought out an opportunity where he can be a core member of a rotation. According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews, Milton has signed a two-year deal to play in Serbia for Partizan Belgrade. If he can adjust to the physicality of the Serbian league and the slightly different rules set, Milton could become a high-level player in the domestic league and perhaps even in Europe.
Shedeur Sanders gets new chance after Browns QB injury
Shedeur Sanders has been working with the Cleveland Browns' equipment staff as the No. 4 quarterback this summer. He'll have a new opportunity following troubling injury news for Kenny Pickett. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pickett suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday's practice and will not receive reps until his issue is re-evaluated. "Browns QB Kenny Pickett injured his hamstring near the end of Saturday’s practice and is expected to re-evaluate the injury later this week, per sources," Schefter posted on X. "Pickett was coming off a strong couple of practices, per sources, and at least for the short term, there now will be more reps for Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett's injury will shake up the quarterback race in Cleveland. Through OTAs and early in training camp, Sanders has been the odd man out as the only signal caller on the roster not to receive reps with the first-team offense. It's unclear if the Browns coaching staff intends to give Sanders reps with the first-team offense now that Pickett is sidelined, but the fifth-round pick will have more chances this week to prove that he deserves an opportunity to stay in Cleveland. The Browns are in a unique situation with their rookie quarterbacks. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel was selected before Sanders, but the son of Deion Sanders fell to Day 3 of the draft for reasons other than talent. The majority of draft analysts had Sanders as a better-graded quarterback than Gabriel, and many thought the Colorado product would be taken in the first round. The Browns can use the injury as an excuse to give Sanders reps with the first team, and it's a task they need to take advantage of before the team names a starter. Sanders has the potential to be a starter in the league, and this week is pivotal for his rookie season in Cleveland.
Rangers Sign Former Stanley Cup Champion to Tryout Agreement
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
New report suggests Christian Wilkins release related to 'incident' with teammate
There may be more to Christian Wilkins’ recent surprise release from the Las Vegas Raiders. NFL reporter Josina Anderson reported Saturday that "some sources believe an incident involving a teammate may have factored in-part into the Raiders' fatigue and release" of Wilkins. The nature of the incident is not clear. However, many believe the Raiders had a very good reason to move on from Wilkins considering the money they had invested in him. It also suggests the Raiders saw no alternative if they went straight to a release. Wilkins was dumped by the Raiders just one year into a four-year, $110 million deal. The Raiders suggested Wilkins failed to take rehab seriously as he tries to work his way back from a foot injury. Other teams do not appear to have the same concerns about Wilkins as the Raiders did, and he should find a new landing spot fairly easily. That is one of the reasons some suspect there is more to the Raiders’ decision than they are publicly saying.
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